CT Mommy Blog

Chris and I bought our house one month before we got married. It’s a charming 1910 farmhouse in a beautiful neighborhood. Over the last 7 years, we’ve made several improvements to make it more modern and our style. Since our family expanded to three kids under three we’ve started thinking about our next move.

We bought our house with the intention that it was going to be our starter home. We said that we’d stay for 5 years or 1.5 children. Well here we are, 7 years and 3 kids later and still in the same house. It’s fine. I love our house. It’s where we started our family. It’s the first place we ever lived together. It’s where we brought home all our babies. We’ve made so many memories here but now it’s time to move on.

Since having kids our priorities have changed.  We’ve realized that we need more space, a safe backyard for them to play, and a family-friendly neighborhood. I realize that no house will ever be perfect. It’s all about what you’re willing to settle for and what’s non-negotiable.

Here is a list of the must haves in our new home.

Neighborhood

The neighborhood, including the town, is the most important thing on my must have list. I love the town that we live in and don’t want to move away, but I’m looking for a quieter street with sidewalks. While our house now is in a great neighborhood the road is busier than I would like. It’s not ideal for taking walks or riding bikes. I want a community where I know my neighbors and there are other kids for my children to play with.

Move-In Ready

I could watch HGTV before and after shows all day but I’d rather do without my own home renovations.  We’re looking for a house that is move-in ready and doesn’t need any major home improvements. We’re fine with cosmetic changes and even small improvements but major renovations are not for us.

Grassy Backyard

We have a great backyard for our dog. It’s flat, large, and fenced in, but it gets very little sun. The grass has a very hard time growing and it remains dry and rocky. It’s not the ideal place for little ones to run and play. We’re looking for an area that’s full of grass and still large enough for our dog to roam.

Open Floor Plan

I didn’t realize how important an open floor plan is until I had my own children. I love cooking, but I don’t like being unable to see my kids while I’m in the kitchen. An open floor plan also makes for a better space for entertaining.

Storage

Kids come with a lot of stuff and we need a place to store everything. I have bins and bins of old baby clothes, toys, and seasonal decorations that I’m not ready to get rid of. I need a place to store everything neatly.

There are several more things that I would love to have in a house but I know it’s nearly impossible to find everything in one house. We’ve been patiently waiting for THE house to come on the market. In the meantime we’ll continue to make improvements to our house so we’re ready to sell when the time comes.